Selective article vending machine



May 27, 1958 E. H. THOMPSON SELECTIVE ARTICLE VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 20, 1951 FIG.2

INVENTOR:

ERNEST H.THOMPSON ATT'YS May 27, 1958 E. H. THOMPSON 2,336,327

SELECTIVE ARTICLE VENDING MACHINE Filed NOV. 20, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lIITYII rllTIl J I l 4 29 I FIIQS j 4 INVENTOR. ERNEST H.THOMPSON ATT'YS M y 1958 E. H. THOMPSON 2,836,327

SELECTIVE ARTICLE VENDING MACHINE Filed NOV. 20, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR:

ERNEST H. T OMPSON ATT'YS 2,836,327 Patented May 27, 1958 nice 2,836,327 SELECTIVE ARTICLE VENDING MACHINE Ernest H. Thompson, Glenview, IIL, assignor to Automatic Canteen Company of America, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware 7 Application November 20, 1951, Serial No. 257,295

8 Claims. (Cl. 221-116) This invention relates to vending machines and more particularly to that class of vending machines that employs a plurality of magazines for dispensing successively articles stored within the magazines. As illustrated herein the invention is incorporated in the machine for selectively dispensing a number of different flavors of chewing gum. It must be-appreciated at the outset, however, that many aspects of the invention are capable of being employed in connection with machines for dispensing articles :other than chewing gum. V

.Ihe invention provides an improvement upon the selective vendingrnachine described in U. S. Patent 2,251,- 99 4. Many'of' the operating mechanisms used in the machines of the-type described in said patent are also applicable for use in the machine of the present invention.

In the machine described in U. S. Patent 2,251,994, the articles are stored in magazines or stacks which are staggered with respect to each other, the dispensing of articles from each stack being controlled by a manually operated lever associated with the operating mechanism of that particular stack. The machines described in said patent have been widely and successfully used for dispensing chewing gum but they have one disadvantage, namely,'the capacity of the magazine 'is limited by the height of the stack. Thus, if the gumvending machine gives the buyer a choice of five different types of chewing gum and the buyer prefers one type more than the others the articles may be emptied from a given magazine substantially in advance of the others. Since it is esesntial for proper service to keep the magazines filled, this condition very often requires more frequent 'servicing than would be the case if the magazines dispensing the preferred article had a greater capacity.

Oneof the objects of the present invention is to providean article dispensing machine of the type described having a substantially greater capacity.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article dispensing machine having a plurality-of magazines in which the articles are stacked and from which the articles are dispensed alternately by a common operating mechanism. r 'A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type described which is relatively compact and simple to operate. i V l 1 "An additional object is to provide a machine of the type described which is positive in its operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will be apparent by reference to the following description in view of the accompanying drawings in which: l V

Figure 'l is a front view of a machine representing a preferred embodiment of the invention with the front door removed in order to show the interior;

- Figure 2 is a section of a portion of the machine shown inFigure 1 taken along the line 2+2 and illustrating the operating mechanism for one pair of magazines; 7

' Figure 3 is a' detailed view showing the principalop= eratin element which makes it ossible to dis ease articles alternately from two adjacent aligned magazines;

Figure 4 is a plan view with parts broken away and with the outer housing removed of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the operating elements shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a section of the element shown in Figure 5 taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and 1 Figures 7 to 12, inclusive, illustrate the sequence of operations in dispensing packaged articles such as chewing gum alternately from the bottom of two aligned magazines or stacks of such articles.

Generally stated, the invention provides a dispensing machine for articles comprising means to hold said articles in stacked relation in a plurality of aligned columns or stacks and means operative with respect to the lowermost of said articles in said stacks to dispense said articles alternately, one from one stack and then the other. Although the invention is illustrated for operation with respect to two stacks or magazines, it will be recognized that one skilled in the art could readily modify the machine to incorporate three or more stacks.

Since the operation is the same with respect to each pair of aligned stacks it will be described with respect to only one pair of such stacks.

The machine illustrated in Figure 1 consists of an outer case 1 provided with a hinged top 2 and hinges 3 adapted to receive a front cover (not shown).

As illustrated, there are ten magazines generally indicated at 4 in Figure l and arranged in pairs 5, 5, 6, 5, 7, '7, 8, 3 and 9, 9 as shown in Figure 4.

Each pair of magazines is formed from sheet metal sidewalls 10, 1t? and the articles which are placed in each magazine are held in stacked relation by sheet metal guide members 11, 12, 13 and 14. As shown in Figure 4, the guide member 12 functions to guide the articles in both magazines 5 and 6 and in a similar manner some of the other guide strips are mounted at the edge of adjacent magazines so as to function in each magazine. The partitions 10 are held against transverse movement by the metal strip 15 which may be placed at any suitable location to serve its purpose and is illustrated in Fig. 4 as extending cross the top of the rear bank of magazines.

The front and rear of each magazine is open, there being a space 16, for example, running from top to bottom of the rear magazine 5 between the guide members 11 and 12 and beneath the connecting member 15. Similarly, there is a space 17 between the guide members 13 and 14 and a space 18 between the guide members 11 and 12.. This is possible for the service man to remove any articles which have not been dispensed.

The magazine structure has flanged base portions 19 and 2% which are fastened by means of screws 21, 21 and 22, 22, 22 to a frame 23. Thus, by removing the screws 21, 21 and 22, 22, 22 the entire magazine assembly can be removed from the frame to obta n access to the dispensing mechanism.

One of the dispensing elements shown in Figure 3 is provided for each pair of magazines and the carriage 24 is slidably mounted on a supporting frame 25 which in turn is supported from the side of the main frame 23. A guide plate 26 is mounted above the dispensing elements and is fastened to the side of the main frame 23 in any suitable manner.

As shown in Figure 4 the guide plate 26 is provided with slots or openings 27 and 28 which serve as guides for the pusher members or dogs 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 that operate to dispense articles alternately through each pair of magazines. The dogs 29 and 30 are connected'by a cross-piece 35. The dogs 31 and 32 are of a spring, namely, springs 41, 42 and 43, these springs being coiled respectively around the shafts 38, 39 and 4%), An arm 44 is mounted on shaft 39 and has a for- 7 wardly extending portion 45 and a rearwardly'extending portion 46. The forwardly extending portion 45 contacts the cross-piece 36 and the rearwardly extending portion 46 contacts the crossepiece 35. The biasing of the spring 42 is greater than that of the spring 41 'so that normally the dogs 31 and 32 will be up except when they are depressed by the presence of a stack of the articles tobe dispensed, and'the dogs 29 and 30 will be down because when the dogs 31' and 32 are up the forward portion 45 of the arm 44 is raised by the crosspiece 36 thereby causing the rearward portion 46 to press against thc cross-piece 35 and depress the dogs 29 and 30. Alternatively, when the dogs 31 and 32 are depressed due to the presence of a stack of articles to be dispensed the dogs 29 and 39 are elevated in the manner shown in Figure 6. V

A series of springs 47 are provided adjacent the lower ends and between the guide strips 13. As shown in Figure 2, the spring 47 is a flat leaf spring which begins and ends at the point 48. The upper end of the spring 47 is curved at the point 49 and held in place by a pressed out portion 50of'a side wall 10. The lower portion 51 of the spring 47 is curved in the direction in which the articles are dispensed so that as each article is pushed from a front stack rearwardly the curved portion 51 of the spring 47 is carnmed upwardly; At the sametimethe straight portion 52 of the spring 47 moves rearwardly, the rearward movement being limited by the'lower extremity 53 of the guide member 13 which is also bent slightly toward the rear of the machine. The spring47 'is hcld against lateral displacement on one'side'by the side wall of the magazine and on the other side by pressed in portions 54 and 55 which are integral with the walls 13, 13. Another portion 56 of the sidewall 16 is pressedout to'form a member'extending inwardly between the opposite sides of spring 47 a distance substantially the width of said spring to prevent buckling of the spring and to hold it in position adjacent its lower end;

The dispensing of the articles from the magazines is efiected by the operation of the carriage 24 which is connected by means of a bifurcated arm 57 through a pin 53 to the lever 59 which is manually operated by the user by depressing a knob 6%.

portion of the corresponding lever in U. S. Patent 2,251,994, the interlock and the coin mechanism also cient to point out that the depression of the knob 60 causesthe bifurcated member 57 to move rearwardly. Since the bifurcated member 57 is welded to or otherwise connected with the carriage 24, the entire dispensing element shown in Figure 3 will also move rearwardly when the knob 60 is depressed.

An element 61 formed of sheet metal or other suitable material is welded or otherwise fastened to one end I" the carriage 2 3. The element 61 has a rearwardly extending side arm portion 62,'an upwardly extending portion 53 and a transversely extending portion 64 provided with an opening 65; The opening 65 provides a passageway for the downwardly extending member 66 (see Figure 2) which cams the article into the outlet passage 67. wa'rdly extending baffie 68'which causes it to move by gravity to the front of the machine in the receiving corn- The portion of the lever 51 and its associated mechanism is identical with the V a 4 partment 69 where it is readily accessible to the operator. As can be seen in Figure 4, the member 66 projects through a hole70 in the frame 23. In a similar manner other cam elements corresponding ,to element 66 are formed by pressing them out of a strip 71 that is welded or otherwise fastened along theliower end of the upright strips corresponding to strips 11 and 12 (see Figure 4)."

ticles to press the articles downwardly.-

The operation of the mechanism is illustrated diagrammatically in Figures 7 to 12. Figure 12 illustrates two magazines for example, the magazines, 8, 8, eachfof which contains a stack of articles to be dispensed, such as chewing gum; On top of each stack of articles to'be dispensed is the weight 72. The articles are given Roman numerals so that the sequence of operation can'be de-' scribed. The pusher members or dogs have beenindicated by the letters A, B and C, the letter A corresponding, for example, to the dogs 29-30, the letter. B corresponding to the dogs 31-32, and the letter C' corresponding to the dogs 3334. Inthe initial position shown in Figure 7 the carriage 24 carrying the dogs A, B' and C is retracted and the forward end of the dog C is article in the rear stack of articles.-

-When an acceptable coin is inserted into the machine and the knob 60 is depressed to cause the carriage 24.

' to move rearwardly, the dog C pushes against the article As the article drops it hitsagainst a down- I IV and ejects it as shown in Figure 8. While this operation is taking place'the dog A engages the front edge of the article I and'pushes it rearwardlyi beneath the spring 47, as shown in Figure 8. At the same'time the article V drops downto take the plac'e of the article IV. The weight of the article I, together with the pressure of the spring 47 keeps the dog B in depressed position.

7 When the knob 60 is" released the spring mechanism described in U. S. Patent 2,251,994, retracts the bifurcated member 57 and simultaneously retracts the carriage 24 to the position shown in Figure 9. In this posif tion the dog B is engaging the front edge of the article I and the rear edge of the article I is against the front edge of'the article V. The dog A is depressed in the manner previously explained by the element.

s When the next acceptable coin is deposited in the machine and the knob 60 is depressed to cause the bifurcated member 57 and the carriage 24 to move rearwardly, the dog B pushes against article I which in turn pushes armagazine as. shown in Figure 10. Since the dog B is up the dog A will be depressed. The dog C is also depressed because it is sliding beneath the article I; 'Since the dog A is depressed it cannot engage the article II.

When the knob 60 is released by the operator and the carriage 24 returns to its retracted position as shown in pressed the carriage 24 will move rearwardly and the dog C will eject article I as shown in Figure 12; During the ejection of article I, article VI drops down to take the place of article I, the weight of article VI serving to depress dog C. Dog B is also depressed by the combined weight of article II and the'pr es'sure of spring 47. Dog A is elevated due to the depressed position of dog B. When .the knob 60 is released so as to. cause the carriage 24 to return to its retracted position the position of the articles will be the same as those described with respect to Figure 9 and the sequence of operations'will continue as described with respect to Figures 9 to 12, the articles being dispensed first from one stack and then from the other. Thus, it will be observed that while in the first two dispensing operations the articles to be dispensed both come from the same stack in all subse disease? quent dispensing operations they are dispensed successively from alternate stacks.

The invention provides a new and improved apparatus for dispensing articles one at a time from a plurality of magazines with the same operating means. It is therefore possible in the practice of the invention to increase the capacity of a given vending machine without substantially increasing the space occupied by the machine.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A dispensing machine for articles comprising means to hold said articles in stacked relation in a plurality of spaced aligned stacks and operating means operative to dispense said articles successively one at a time from one stack and another, said operating means comprising a carriage mounted to move in a predetermined path in alignment with said stacks, a first pusher means mounted on said carriage adapted, when said carriage is advanced, to push an article from a first stack to cause said article to be'dispensed, means causing a second article from said first stack to replace said first-named article when dispensed, a third pusher means mounted on said carriage adapted, when said carriage is advanced to dispense said first-named article by said first pusher means, to push an article from a second stack to an intermediate position between said second stack and said first stack and to an aligned position adjacent said second article, a second pusher means mounted on said carriage adapted, when said carriage is next retracted and subsequently advanced, to push said article from said second stack in said intermediate position against said adjacent second article to cause the latter to be dispensed and to cause said article from said second stack to replace said second article when dispensed, means to move said first pusher means out of the path of said stacked articles in said first stack when said carriage is being retracted after an article from said first stack has been dispensed, means to move said third pusher means out of the path of said stacked articles in said second stack when said carriage is being advanced to dispense an article through the operation of said second pusher means, and means to move said second pusher means out of the path of said stacked articles in said second stack when said carriage is being retracted after an article has been dispensed through the operation of said second pusher means.

2. A dispensing machine for articles comprising means to hold said articles in stacked relation in a pair of spaced aligned stacks and operating means operative to dispense said articles one at a time from one stack and then the other alternately, said operating means comprising three pusher means, the first pusher means being operative to push against the lowermost article of a first stack to dispense said article from said stack, the third pusher means being operative to push the lowermost article from the second stack to an intermediate position between said stacks while said first pusher means is operating to push and dispense said first-named article, the second pusher means being operative to push the said article in intermediate position against a lowermost article of said first stack, the latter article having replaced said dispensed article, until the last-named lowermost article is dispensed and the said article in intermediate position replaces it, means to hold said second pusher means in an inoperative position when said first and third pusher means are operative, and means to hold said first and third pusher means in inoperative positions when said second pusher means is operative.

3. A dispensing machine for articles comprising means to hold said articles in stacked relation in a pair of spaced aligned stacks and operating means operative to dispense said articles one at a time from one stack and then the other alternately, said operating means comprising three pairs of pusher members, the first pair of pusher members being operative to push against the lowermost article of a first stack to dispense said article from said stack, the third pair of pusher members being operative .6 to push the lowermost article from the second stack to' an intermediate position betweensaid stacks while: said first pair of pusher members is operating to pusltanddispense said first-named article, the second pair of pusher members being operative to push the said articlein in? termediate position against a lowermost article of said first stack, the latter article having replaced said dispensed article, until the last-named lowermost article is dispensed and the said article in intermediate position replacesit, means to hold said second pair of pusher members in inoperative positions when said first andthird pairs of pusher members are operative, and means to hold said first and third pairs of pusher members in inoperative positions when said second pair of pusher members is operative. i iii! 4. A dispensing machine for articles comprising means to hold said articles in'stacked relation in a' plurality of aligned stacks and operating means operative to dispense said articles one ata time alternately from said stacks, said operating means comprising a reciprocating pusher means adapted to push the lowermost article of one stack against the lowermost article of an aligned stack until the former replaces the latter, a second reciprocating pusher means adapted to advance the firstnamed article out of its said replacement position, both said pusher means operative in one direction of movement thereof, and means causing a second article from said aligned stack to occupy the said replacement position when said first-named article has been advanced therefrom.

5. A dispensing machine for articles comprising means to hold said articles in stacked relation in a plurality of aligned stacks, a reciprocal operating means common to all of said aligned stacks operative upon each movement thereof from an initial position to an advanced position in one direction to dispense said articles one at a time alternately from said stacks, said operating means including a plurality of pusher members mounted thereon, means for moving certain of said pushers to dispensing and non-dispensing positions during alternate movements of said operating means for dispensing an article from said machine, and means for moving one of said pushers to operative and non-operative positions during alternate movements of said operating means for advancing an article in one stack against an aligned article in another stack.

6. A dispensing machine for articles comprising means to hold said articles in stacked relation in a plurality of aligned stacks, movable operating mechanism, common to all of said aligned stacks and disposed therebelow operative upon each movement thereof in one direction to dispense said articles one at a time first from one stack and then from another, said operating mechanism including a plurality of pusher members pivotally mounted thereon, means for moving certain of said pushers to dispensing and non-dispensing positions during alternate movements of said operating mechanism for dispensing an article from said machine, and means for moving one of said pushers to operative and non-operative positions during alternate movement of said operating mechanism for advancing an article in one stack against an aligned article in another stack.

7. A dispensing machine for articles comprising means to hold said articles in stacked relation in a plurality of aligned stacks, a movable operating mechanism reciprocable under said aligned stacks, a series of pushers pivotally mounted on said operating mechanism including first and second dispensing pushers and an advancing pusher, said dispensing pushers alternately movable to dispensing and non-dispensing positions for dispensing articles from the machine one at a time during a movement of said operating mechanism in one direction, and said advancing pusher alternately movable to operative and non-operative positions for advancing an article in one stack against an article in another stack andto a position for subsequent engagement by one of said dis;

firstifr om one stack and then the other.

, '8. A dispensing machine for articles comprising means dp ensing pushers during the next successive movement of; or

saidroperating mechanism in said one direction, "whereby articles'will be dispensed from the machine one at atim e to hold said articles in stacked relation in a plurality of V aligned stacks, a movable/operating mechanism reciprocable under said aligned stacks; a series of pushers pivotally mounted on said operating mechanism including first and second dispensing pushers and an advancing dispensing and non-dispensing positions for dispensing articles from the machine one at a time during a movement of said operating mechanism in one direction, and said advancing pusher alternately movable to operative and non-operative positions for advancing an. article in one stack against an article inzanotherstack and to a position for subsequent engagement by one of said dispusher, said dispensing pushers alternately movable to V pensing pushers during the i s in dispensing position' a V 7 References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS next successive movement of said operating mechanism in said' one direction, whereby articles will be dispensed from the machine one at a a time first from oneflsta ckand then the other, 'and means v ,oper'atively connected to said latter pusher and one of a said dispensing pushers to move said ilatterpusher to non-operative position when said one dispensing pusher 

